Promised
by halfkyuubikat
Summary: It was only when I reached out for Death's hand, that I remembered the promise I gave to my husband only two years ago. A promise to live.' SasuSaku, M for violence. Two-shot!
1. Part 1

A/N: Another one-shot. THAT'S REALLY, REALLY LONG!!!! So I decided to separate into two parts. Lol, that way I didn't have to keep you guys waiting as long!

I like making these. They're a lot of fun….*giggle* This one is pretty sad so be prepared my pretties. I had it in my mind for a while and I decided since it was a long break, why not go crazy!!! Lol. Yep. Crazy…in like…I'm writing three stories and finishing "My Best Friend's Imouto" in two weeks…lol….a total of *counts in head* hmmm…10 chapters….oh joy…lol it was a looooot of fun…

No really it was! I love writing these! And the attention that all you guys give me in reply!

Also I want to recommend, Chasing Your Shadow by Sasukeluva 4eva. It's a great fic that I think deserves a lot more attention.

Hahaha. On Microsoft Word this was 17 pages. Wow! And this is only the first part!

Anyways enjoy!

**Warning:** Lots of gory descriptions.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto

* * *

I could see it in the distance.

Konoha.

The giant gates were but a few mere miles away.

Not even.

I was probably less than a mile away by now.

Yet, the giant gates that were raised above the horizon seemed so far away. Out of touch. It had taken me nearly three hours to travel to this point. In normal time it should have taken thirty minutes at most.

I should have been farther away from Konoha at the time, but the man I was assigned to assassinate had caught wind of me stalking him and made a brake for Konoha. No doubt to set fourth his plans that would end with Konoha's destruction.

I had to make one of the greatest efforts to catch up to him. He was thirty minutes away from Konoha when I managed to stop him. Thirty minutes away from succeeding in his plans. Thirty minutes away from destroying everything I loved.

But I had stopped him.

It had taken everything I had too. This man was someone who a genin could never handle. An Anbu would have struggled to complete this mission. No scratch that, they would have failed. After all that's why I was the one who had been assigned it. Not anyone else. Me.

I should be dead.

Maybe I was dead.

But the constant pain that was spread all through my body reminded me otherwise. There was so much of it. As I limped toward my home, every little jostle, every little movement that I made, caused a searing agony to spread through my chest. My legs. My body.

It hurt so much.

_Why am I alive?_

My head was feeling dizzy and I struggled to stay on my feet. The constant swaying of my body caused my limp movements to be even slower if possible. I could barly move in the first place without the sword in my chest moving and making deeper cuts in my body.

I stilled finally, finding my body unable to move any further. I warm liquid was sliding down my legs that were shaking with uncontrollable spasms. The world in front of my eyes was getting blury and I had to focus hard not to blank out.

I needed to get to the gates.

That's all, only a little bit further…

I couldn't move. Not at all. My legs would not trudge on another step. Instead they wished to collapse underneath me and it was only sheer willpower that I did not fall right then and there.

But willpower can only take a person so far.

More of that warm substance was running down my thighs and I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to brush it away. To remove it from my body. I brought my gloveless hand down to my lower abdomen to get some of the warmth off my body.

It felt like I had stuck my hand into a bucket of warm water.

_Oh kami._

As I brought the hand back up to eye level, I was met with the overwhelming scent of blood. Then I was looking at a hand soaked in blood.

My blood.

His blood.

So much blood.

The red slipped onto my fingers before it dropped down onto the floor below. My eyes followed the drops the entire way and for the first time I received an accurate look of my abdomen. I small, broken gasp left my lips.

My eyes widened, as I lifted my head back up to stare at the gates.

_Oh kami. Oh kami._

I wasn't going to live. The overwhelming revelation brought on a new sensation of haze. My eyes began to roll back into my head and a darkening hood took over my sight.

Before I completely passed out I heard an ear shattering scream.

It took me a moment right as I could feel nothing anymore that I realized the scream came from my mouth.

_I'm dying._

* * *

I lightly placed my fist on the door and even more gently tapped upon the oversize door. A single "come in" came from the other side.

I pulled the knob and entered the Hokage's Office.

I saw that the Hokage chair was turned away and thus restricted me from seeing the person seated in it. Instead it was facing the window that overlooked the entire village of Konoha. I closed the door behind me and stepped forward until I was standing right in front of the desk.

I held my hands clasped behind my back and respectably stood straight and tall as I was presented in front of my leader.

"You called, Hokage-sama?"

I heard a long, exaggerated sigh as the green chair spun around to face me. I was greeted by a gloomy face that's crystalline-blue eyes were slightly narrowed at me in a false attempt at a glare.

"How many times do I have to tell you Sakura-chan? Don't call me that!"

"Sorry, Sorry Naruto!" I laughed out. I raised my hands in a sign of surrender. The two rings on my left hand sparkled in the casting of the overhead lights. I found myself caught in its beauty as I often was when the light hit the object just right.

The clear cut diamond on the engagement ring was I presumed at least two carets. Maybe two in a half at most. Then wrapped around the silver band were vines, decorated with small, pink-tinted diamonds in the shape of cherry blossoms. The wedding band was also silver and alternated between white and pink diamonds.

All in all the two little rings, screamed "holy shit! I cost a hell of a lot!" When I had tried and sneak a peek at the checkbook, I was caught red-handed before I could even pick the booklet up off the desk. Another chance never arrived.

"Hm." My momentary fascination on my hand was interrupted by the sound of my ex-teammates grumbling voice. I lowered my hands down to my side and looked back at the Rokudaime.

The silver band on his left hand ring finger drew my eyes in and I found myself smiling at the tiny thing. His eyes followed my direction and after viewing the ring for a moment turned his head back up to gift me with one of his legendary grins. His other hand touched the band and twirled it around his finger.

"I still can't believe it." He smiled up at me.

"I know married for a whole month." I flashed him a smile of my own. He laughed lightly and gazed down at the ring again, probably caught up in the memories of the tiny object.

"You know…" he muttered, "I always thought…I always thought that it would be you…you would be the one that would hold the other half of this ring." I looked at him, seemingly deep in thought. My smile faded momentarily, but hearing no regret or sadness in his voice, I knew he was only remembering a past feeling. It longer existed towards me.

He suddenly turned toward me and flashed other one of his smiles that spread all the way across his face.

"It's probably good though. I don't think I could survive your anger and monstrous strength every day. I'm plenty happier with my adorable Hinata than you."

My smile faded as a vein popped in my forehead (that I had grown into a few years back). Okay so I was awarded "monstrous" and "anger" while Hinata got "adorable?" I could fucking show him angry! That bastard!

I was just about to call Naruto out and possibly pound his face into the floor, when he suddenly lost any sign of enjoyment and instead a look of guilt passed across his face. The emotion was soon followed by sadness and did not move pass it.

"Naruto? What's wrong?" I questioned.

He stayed quiet and instead looked at the desk underneath him. Suddenly a horrible feeling of dread filled me.

'Oh Kami! Oh please no!'

My hand clutched at my ring as I remember that my Husband had been sent on a mission a few days ago. He should be back in a few days….but if something had happened…

'It can't be! Not him!'

"S-Sasuke.." I whispered out.

Naruto head snapped up to look at me and now his eyes filled with fear.

'NO! NO! NO!'

Tears filled at the corner of my eyes as my hand moved to my heart, clenching at the material covering my heart. The Uchiha symbol lay just a little above it.

Naruto watched me for a moment before he suddenly popped out of his chair, realization on his face.

"Oh wait! No, nothing happened to Sasuke! He's fine!"

My entire world paused around me. I barley could register the words that had just been spoken to me. But when I did, relief filtered through my pores. I let out a lengthy sigh. Thanking Kami that nothing was wrong with my husband of six months. Now all I had to do was kill Naruto, for making me believe otherwise.

Before I could make my attack with my fist into the whiskered face of my friend, I remembered that something was still wrong.

"All right Naruto! Just spit it out already! If it's not Sasuke-kun, then what the hell did you call me here?!" I growled at the annoying man in front of me.

He stayed quiet.

I gave a low growl.

"I-I…I have a mission for you."

I stilled. Then I laughed.

"Just a mission! That's it?! You made me have a heart attack for nothing Naruto! Geez! If this is about what Sasuke-kun said about not giving me missions unless he approves of them first, you don't have to obey him! You're Hokage and he can't dictate my life! Plus I haven't gotten a mission in almost four months! Being stuck in the hospital was beyond boring! I want to get some action. I honestly figured that Sasuke-kun was giving the village a bribe of large quantity of money to keep me from getting missions! Really! I'm a Jounin for Kami's sake! I can take care of myself! Just cause he's captain of the Anbu team, doesn't mean he can control everything I do! Really I…I—"

I suddenly dropped off from my ramble when I noticed that Naruto still had a guilty look on his face.

"W-Wha…What's wrong? It's just a mission right?"

Naruto looked up at me, reaching for a folder that I had not noticed was lying right in front of him. He threw it at me and with my exceptional ninja skills I caught it.

In huge, bold, red letters the words CONFEDENTIAL were written.

I glanced up at him to see him nod as I started to open the brown folder.

**~Mission Assignment~**

**For: **Uchiha Sakura

"I'm sorry Sakura, you have to know if we had any other choice for a person to complete this mission we would have chosen them!" Naruto spoke in the background.

**Rank:** S-Rank

**Classification:** Solo

**Mission Length:** 2-5 days

"But this mission **HAS** to be a success and after me and Shikamaru consulted over the matter…the only person with the greatest chance to succeed was you!"

**Location:** Land of Fire

**Objective:** Assassination of—

"Sakura, you're one my best friends, I love you! I'm so sorry! I would never even think to give you this except that…if I didn't the village…." I heard a sobbing noise begin as my eyes continued to look down the sheet. I froze when I read the final part of the notification.

**Estimated Survival Rate:** 3 Percent

* * *

"This is soooooooooooooo boring!" Kotetsu spoke from his position in the guard stand of the two legendary gates of Konoha.

"You should be happy to have a mission at all." I said quietly.

"Oh come on Izumo! You can't honestly say you want to be back at 'village guard' again do you?! Seriously! I mean we've fought Akatsuki! We survived the Fourth Ninja War! God damn it, we should be worshiped by everyone! Not given a stupid task like this!!!" Kotestu protested again.

Despite slightly agreeing with him, I stayed quiet.

Kotestu continued to mutter about the topic while I lazily placed my head on my hand, using it for support.

The only recorded persons that were meant to return today had already arrived about an hour ago. Now they were stuck until there relief came. In six hours.

Shit this was going to be the most boring day I have had in a long ti—

My thoughts were interrupted when a high-pitched scream tore through the air. Kotestu fell backwards out of his chair while I immediately froze.

In a matter of seconds the screaming stopped and I reacted quickly thereafter. Within a flash of a second, I was standing outside the guard station looking out of the entrance where I had heard the sound come from. My eyes looked toward the path that lined the area and the single figure that stood less than half a mile away.

Kotestu was suddenly beside me as I took off toward the person who as I watched, started to fall forward. I couldn't make out the direct form of the figure, but I swore I could see a glint of some shiny weapon in the sunlight protruding from their chest.

Oh shit.

As I heard the thud of the person hitting the ground I flinched. I could now see the hilt of the sword sticking out of the back of the collapsed ninja.

Kotestu overtook me and while I still ran for the body, he had already arrived. He bent down and looked at the person, whose face was in the dirt. Yet when he turned to look back at me, I knew he had recognized the individual without even seeing their face.

Kotestu was terrified.

I could see that much as I was only seconds away. As I skidded to a stop beside him he didn't move an inch, wearing a face that was torn between shock and fear. The body which was so tiny and frail was so covered in blood that it was impossible to recognize it. I would have assumed them dead already except that there was a faint rise and fall of their back, signifying the girl (which I assumed from the slender form) was still breathing. Her hair was almost completely red and the only strands that weren't bathed in crimson appeared to be a light pinkish color that—

OH SHIT.

As I looked down at the feminine figure, I noticed despite it being drenched in blood, that straight threw were the sword was placed in her back, a symbol surrounded it.

The Uchiha Clan symbol.

OH FUCKING SHIT!

* * *

"_I accept the duties and risks entitled to this mission, Hokage-sama."_

"_Sakur—"_

"_I accept my duty as a Ninja of Konoha and the responsibilities and sacrifices that service requires."_

"_I-I…"_

"_Even if that means death."_

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU SENT HER ON A MISSION?!?!" I growled out at the person seated behind the desk.

He stared not at me, but at a pile of papers as he used a stamp to mark each individual paper before he moved on to the next.

I slammed my fist on the table causing the pile of papers to scatter across both the desk and the floor surrounding it. I felt my sharigan activate as my chakra rolled off me in heaps of angry waves. I had to control myself from activating my MangekyōSharigan, since my medic (and wife) had advised me –cough-orderedme-cough- not to for health purposes. Naruto finally looked up at me after staring at the scattered pile for a few moments.

His eyes were emotionless which was something that was near impossible for Naruto to do. It made me furious.

"HOW DARE YOU!" I screamed at him, shoving my face right up into his, my bleeding red eyes swirling dangerously as I glowered down at him.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SEND HER ON **ANY** MISSIONS! ESPECIALY WHEN I'M NOT THERE! NARUTO!" For a moment during my shouts at the Hokage, I could have sworn I heard a scream from somewhere in the distance, and it caused a feeling of dread fill me for a moment, but I decided I was imagining such a noise, since Naruto took no notice of it.

"Sasuke." He almost whispered.

"WHAT THE HELL DID I GIVE YOU THAT MONEY FOR?! IT WASN'T A FUCKING DONATION!!!!"

"Sasuke…"

"DO YOU REALIZE THAT I SHOULD KILL YOU RIGHT HERE!?!?"

At that two ninja appeared on either side of Naruto, both armed with Kunai. I could fucking care less about those wimps. I could kill them in a second and right now anything I could get my hands around would suffice the need to kill someone, anyone right now.

Naruto raised a hand in the air and the two Ninja with slight hesitation disappeared once again.

"Sasuke…the mission."

That's when I realized something.

Naruto NEVER called me by my name. Only when there was something important. In fact I could only recall him not using 'Teme' as my name three times. While we were fighting Haku on the bridge, during our fight in the Valley of the End and throughout the time he was trying to bring me back to Konoha.

By body stilled.

"What mission was it Naruto?" I hissed out from my teeth. Naruto flinched; I had a feeling he could handle my screaming words better then ones that were almost whispered out.

He did not speak instead choosing to look out the window.

"Where the hell did you send my wife?!" I growled out.

He turned around to speak to me, his mouth open to deliver a speech, when suddenly the door flew open behind me.

"Hokage-sama!!"

The strong stench of blood also filled the room, as I turned around in such speed it almost made me dizzy. I recognized the person immediately. After all they had been the guard on duty when my Anbu team had returned home earlier today.

Kotestu was it?

Yet the person had blood smeared all over their shirt and it covered their hands as well. There was so much of it. My noise twitched slightly in disgust, despite having had so much blood soak my hands before I started to detest the sight of it.

The guard seemed not to notice me standing a little to the side of the room and instead ran up to Naruto's desk, placing his hands atop it, and consequently leaving some of the blood atop it.

He was panting and out of breath, showing that he had probably used insane amounts of chakra to arrive here quickly. My eyes narrowed. Something of that importance revolved around the lines of invasion.

"Hokage-sama!! I-It's Sakura! Uchiha Sakura! We found her body outside of the gates she—she was collapsed and bleeding—" It was there when he finally took notice of my presence and he shut up. His eyes widen in horror, as he took his hands off of the desk and took an exaggerated step backwards.

My eyes looked back at the desk where the crimson substance was smudged across the wood. A small amount of it started to slide down the side of the desk, forming a small droplet.

I realized then that it was my wife's blood on the desk.

My wife's blood covering the man in the room.

My wife's blood.

So much of it.

Sakura…

_Sakura_

With speed that would even frighten the most powerful of ninja, I had the man covered in the Uchiha Matriarchs crimson life source, slammed against a wall with my hand grasping his neck, making sure to use enough force to constrict his airways.

The man desperately clawed at my hand to try and remove it from his scrawny neck. He was rewarded by a harsher grip and being slammed into the wall.

"What the hell did you do to her?" I hissed out, slamming his head against the wall of the office. He continued to claw at my hand.

"TELL ME YOU BASTARD!" I growled out, my Sharigan flickering between its normal three tomoe to Mangekyō Sharigan.

The man's face was growing a purple color as he struggled to get air. I knew full well that I was killing the guy, but I could care less. Only the fact that this man was drenched in the blood of the woman I loved mattered.

Suddenly an amount of pressure hit my chest, effectively pushing me away from the man I was strangling and shoving me to the other side of the room, where I was slammed into the wall. I glared at where Naruto stood in front of Kotestu, one arm simply raised in the air.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Sasuke, he can't answer you if you kill him." He turned away from me and faced Kotestu.

"Kotestu speak."

The man gasped a little rubbing his throat as his face returned to the normal complexion.

"T-Th…At the gates, we found her body, outside the gates. S-She…blood." He continued to rub his neck and coughed periodically, unable to continue.

I growled ready to kill the bastard if he couldn't give any more information. I started to walk toward the man and when fear started to take over his eyes, a certain amount of pride filled me. Yet it was outweighed with anger and fear.

Was…Was she?

"Her condition?" Naruto asked the question that was on my mind.

"A-Alive. I-I-Izumo took her to the….hospital"

If any further conversation occurred, I was unable to hear it. By the time the last word was uttered I was already outside the Hokage Mansion and headed toward the hospital.

Toward Sakura.

Toward my life.

* * *

"W-Wha do we do I-Izumo." Kotestu asked me from beside the dying woman.

I bent down and felt her neck, searching for a pulse. I had to wipe away some of the blood covering the area, before I could even locate the area I was searching for. And even then it took me a moment before I found what I wanted.

It was so weak.

"We can't wait for a medic nin to come here. We have to take her to the hospital…now."

Kotestu nodded to me.

"Help me get her in my arms, make sure you don't touch the sword."

He nodded and proceeded to my side. I carefully wrapped my arms around her torso, making sure that I avoided the sword. I waited until Kotestu lifted her legs up in his arms before I lifted her body off the dirt. Her long hair fell down beside her face and droplets of blood fell off from the strands.

Once I had her bridal style in my arms, Kotestu stepped away from me. I noticed that his appearance had changed. His shirt was covered in blood.

I looked down at the body for a brief moment before I had to force myself to look away in fear of getting sick. There were so many wounds. Some were so deep that organs could be seen if you looked past all the blood.

How in the hell was this girl still alive?

Not to mention the sword that was sticking just a little below the center of her torso. I wondered for a brief moment on why she had not removed the object, instead just getting rid of most of the edge, till just a small amount was sticking out of her chest. Then I realized that the sword was probably keeping the blood in her body.

Not that it mattered much.

It still found plenty of other ways out.

"Kotestu, go inform Hokage-sama right away! Also request Tsunade-Hime in case she is not at the hospital. GO!"

I didn't bother running to the Hospital instead using a transportation jutsu to arrive just inside.

The tiny girl lay limp in my arms and if not for the way her chest rose the tiniest degree I would have feared she had died in the few seconds it took to arrive at the hospital…

Yet I didn't know how even the greatest medic could save the life of this dying blossom.

* * *

"Where is she?!" I shouted at the nurse present in the station. She glanced up nervously at me, her eyes widening at my sudden presence.

"Where is Uchiha Sakura?!" I shouted again, though I had the feeling she had known who I was talking about beforehand.

"Tsunade-Hime! A-A…Emergency Ward number 3, but—"

I didn't listen to her as I ran down the hallways toward the room. Normally I wouldn't make such an effort for someone, but this situation was different. This was Sakura. This was the girl I had trained for almost three years. This was the girl I saw as my daughter.

As I ran down the hallway, I noticed the red light illuminating above the sign with the number three written on it. I slammed the door open, all but ripping it from its hinges.

The sight before me was horrendous.

The beautiful woman who I have known throughout my time as Hokage lay broken apart on the hospital table. Her blood was covering the table and dripping onto the tile floor of the operating room. The beeping of the heart monitor was slow and almost sporadic.

She was laid down on her side, two nurses holding her up while another one was removing a sword from her back. When they heard the sound of my entrance, they immediately looked up. When the nurse removing the knife from Sakura's back, lifted her head up I recognized her as Ino Yamanaka. Her icy-blue eyes were filled with tears and she let out a strangled breath, something that was a cross between a sigh of relief and a sob.

She kept her hand firmly placed on the dagger in the back, but did not attempt to remove it further.

"T-T-Tsunade-sama….S-she—" When she broke off into sobs, I was unable to do anything but stare at the body of my ex-student.

There were multiple scratches and abrasions covering her arms and legs, nothing that was life threatening in any sort. Her shoulder had a slice through it and that would need to be repaired if she wanted to be able to use it again. Also her right hand had third degree burns on it. The way they were patterned on her fist, gave indication that she had used it to protect another body part from the flames. But none of those were the problem.

It was her torso that had me speechless.

There was a ground in hole located in her side that looked almost as if someone had thrust their entire fist into her flesh. The area of which it had hit, predicted that her small intestine and possibly her kidney had been damaged. A long, diagonal cut went from her lower hip all the way to area just before the arch of her breast. The cut left her red shirt split in half, allowing the sight of her pale skin, although covered by red liquid, still oozing out of the deep gash. Then there was the sword still left in her body.

So many wounds…

So much blood…

How was it possible for someone as small as Sakura to have that much blood leaking out of her body?

My fingers started to shake slightly as my past fear of blood started to resurface. Another one of my most important people lying in front of me. Another one dying.

"T-Tsun-a-ade! P-Please help her!!" Ino sobbed out, her arm that was holding the knife in Sakura's back started to shake, trembling ever so slightly, as tears slid down her cheeks.

My shaking stopped as the medic in me took over.

I was beside Ino in a second, my hand clasping over Ino's trembling hand. I stilled the movements with my firm grasp.

"Ino control yourself! Sakura needs all the help she can get!" I ordered her.

Ino gasped her eyes widening, before they took on a new look; determination. It passed over the sorrow and fear in a quick flash. Using her free hand she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!!" Her voice clear, with just a small amount of tremble in the depths of it.

"Alright Ino, I want you to remove your hands from the knife. You two don't move an inch!!" The two nameless nurses nodded their heads and Ino followed my order. She took a step away from me, allowing more space for me.

"Stand on the other side now. When I start removing the knife you will immediately begin healing the wou—"

"Shishyou…" a small, weak voice spoke below me.

Everyone in the room snapped their head down to see two dazed, emerald eyes staring back at them.

* * *

"…sama…"

Someone was speaking. I couldn't tell where it was coming from. The darkness was so strong. So thick that I could taste the eerily black, metallic on my tongue.

"I-…control….help….get…"

Ah, I knew that voice. Strong, commanding, and prideful, the voice that could only belong to her sensei. Tsunade-Shishyou. Yet right now her voice was weaker. Something was hindering her voice. What was it?

"Hai…Tsunad—"

Was that Ino? What was she doing here? I thought she was at the hospital, covering for me while I was on a mission. Hospital? Was that were I was?

"…I want you…from the knife…You two don't move an inch…"

Knife? An image of a man charging at me from the front flashed in my head. He held a long katana and right before I hit him with my fist, he vanished. The memory was hazy and it made me feel sick, but I could still distinctly remember the pain that flashed inside my chest after the nameless man vanished. The same pain that I was still experiencing now.

I tried to speak, but some unknown force was keeping me from completely awaking.

"Stand on the other side now."

I tried to reach out to Tsunade, but again I was unable. My eyes twitched slightly and after using my entire strength I broke through the haze to see Tsunade standing above me.

" When I start removing the knife you will immediately begin healing the wou—"

"Shishyou…" my voice finally broke through the haze.

When I saw the head's of four people snap down to look at me, I realized for the first time where I was. The hospital.

My breath hitched slightly and I realized that it hurt to breath. I was tilted on my side and I felt two pairs of hands holding me that way.

"WHY THE HELL IS SHE AWAKE?!"

Tsunade's scream would have made me flinch, but the hands on me kept me from moving. My ears had a ringing noise in them, but I could still hear a beeping noise nearby. A recognized the sound as a heart monitor.

"WHY ISN'T SHE UNDER ANISTETIC?!"

"We did…it must be the blood, the anesthetic won't stay in her body."

"THEN PUT HER ON THE GAS!!! We have to remove the sword now, Ino begin healing the wound immediately."

Something was placed over my mouth and noise, and as I took in a shaky weak breath I felt a fog come over my senses already. I already felt a sleepy-like quality move over my mind and I wanted to humor the feeling.

"Alright Ino, now!"

I felt something leave my body and I was still aware of enough of the world to let out a scream. My sleepy eyes widened as I felt the object slice threw more of my flesh as it left my body with a hole. I heard the clanking of metal from a distance and then a warm feeling filled the spot where the pain was coming from.

Medical Nin-jutsu.

But it was to late, the pain was still there and it overwhelmed my senses. Taking over the tiny spread of warmth in my chest. It was too much. To great of a pain.

A blinding light flashed in front of my eyes and right before a creeping darkness slithered over my sight, I let out a weak apology.

"I'm….sorry."

And then there was nothing, but me and the dark.

* * *

.

All eyes turned toward the heart monitor as it went from the slow, but steady rise and fall of a slope to nothing, but a straight line.

"Shit!" I screamed.

I pushed more of my healing chakra into her backside, closing her back up, but not healing the wounds inside her flesh. Immediately I grabbed onto my ex-apprentice's shoulders and then forced her body to lay on its back.

The two nurses released their grip on her body immediately and allowed me to stand over her body.

.

Ino was still standing over Sakura's body, healing the bleeding sword wound. She was pushing a lot of her healing chakra into the wound at a extremely fast pace. Obviously trying to save the life of her best friend.

"Ino move!" I shouted again. She removed her hands from Sakura's mangled body.

I placed my hands, one on top of the other, over Sakura's heart.

"CLEAR!"

I pushed an electrical current into Sakura's body and her back arched into my hands. The monitor to the side, had a small increased slope raise above the flat line before it returned back to flat, lifeless line once again.

I shouted clear again before I pumped a greater amount of electric current through her heart. The monitor beeped twice, before it returned once again to nothing.

I was about to begin another round of crash cart reinforcement when the doors to the room burst open.

I lifted my head out of surprise to see Uchiha Sasuke staring at his wife's body. Then he glanced up with red eyes to look at the heart monitor with the line that didn't rise for a single account.

_Ah crap._

* * *

It was so dark here.

I could see nothing at all in this place. It was cold and lonely. But for some reason it brought me comfort. It felt like this was a much better place then where I was just a small amount of time ago.

What had happened to me?

I couldn't remember. Only the distant feeling of pain was a recollection, but even that was fuzzy. This impending darkness seemed to be clouding my mind completely and as I stood glancing around trying to use my sight to see something; anything.

I stepped forward and despite my cloudy head, my body was stronger than ever.

"Sasuke-kun?"

I don't understand why I called out my husband's name, but for a strange reason or another I could almost swear that I sensed his chakra right next to me.

Nothing was there.

I stepped forward again with slight hesitation as I took slow hesitated steps. I moved as I would on a mission; observing everything that was occurring around me. It was a slow process and it took me a moment to realize that there was nothing around me. Nothing at all.

"Sasuke!" I cried out to the still air, fear finally taking over me.

I hated being alone. I hated the dark. It frightened me since a long time ago. I whirled around searching for anything, any flicker of light; since after all, it was impossible for there to be utter and complete darkness.

That's when I saw it. A light coming from so far away that it almost appeared to be darkness as well. It was growing bigger though, allowing myself to see more and more of the beautiful color. Without hesitation I started to run toward it. My legs moved quickly and despite not using any chakra, I moved faster than I normally could even with it.

I kept getting closer and closer and as it appeared almost right in front of me, I stretched out my hand. It was as if the light was a material good and I reached for it with my hand, before I clenched my fingers trying to grasp it within my grip.

The light flashed a million times brighter and I was forced to place my hands over my face to keep myself from going blind.

When though the skin of my hand I noticed the insane brightness had disappeared I slowly removed my hand from in front of my face.

I was greeted with the sight of the gates of the Uchiha Clan…

Home.

* * *

A/N: Okay lol, Intermission time!

What do you guys think so far?

**Next Update**: My Best Friend's Imouto Chapter Two and Never Alone Chapter Eleven

For those who don't know I have a poll up deciding which story I will begin next! GO TO IT!!!!! I command you to! If you don't there will be a period of time where I just sit there going,

"Huh, which story should I do next?"

So If you want fast updates go there now!

And while you're at it review too!!


	2. Part 2

A/N: Yosh! Part 2 is here! Yep, yep! Believe in it! Uh, sorry for delay. There is a reason though! I joined a new sport and got sick. Then when I was about to put Never Alone up I realized that I hadn't saved it and half of my entire chapter was gone. I was too distressed for a while to start it again. Chapter 11 of Never Alone is out and Chapter 3 of My Best Friend's Imouto will be out in the next few days.

Also….i have to say….Sasuke is ruining all my stories. The bastard just like seriously destroyed the plotline for half my stories! Of course I will still do them, but it's the fact that he messed them up that pisses me off! The stupid prick! God, I hate him so much! Plus he basically took out the major jealously factor in all SasuSaku stories….damn him…

I have a poll up so please if you would vote in it. From now on here is the update order for my stories.

(1). My Best Friend's Imouto

(2). My True Love's Kiss (after MBFI is completed)

(3). Never Alone

(4). Always Alone

(5). The Only

(6). Awake

(7). New Story (Undecided)

My Best Friend's Imouto only has one more update after chapter 3, Awake is a one-shot, and The Only is 3 chapters long. So basically after those I only have three stories to focus on plus the one that I will start and can be chosen in my poll.

**Warning: **Violence, gore, Character Death. There is no lemon, but I guess there is slight suggestive stuff…just a little bit.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto

* * *

I was aware that Naruto had followed me from the Hokage Mansion almost immediately. That didn't bring any concern to me though. Not at the moment. Nothing else mattered, but my destination and the person at it.

I traveled quickly without thinking as I passed by the village people. Some of them with enough specialty could see me flash pass them in great speed. Their heads turned to watch me pass, their mouths agape. They probably were wondering what in the world could cause Uchiha Sasuke to sprint in mass disarray.

_Only Sakura could make me._

I clasped my hands together and started to form a correspondence of hand signals.

In the same second I appeared in the hospital lobby in a whirlwind of leaves. My Sharigan eyes started to take in all the chakra signatures that were present in the hospital.

The woman at the front desk head snapped up. Her eyes widened in surprise at my presence and her mouth dropped to an 'O' in shock.

"U-Uchih-a S-sama" she stuttered out.

I didn't pay attention to her. I didn't need such a weak and pointless girl to help me in anyway. I could feel, see, sense Sakura's chakra from anywhere. I could notice it without hesitation from a thousand different Chakra signatures. Something about it was so much more special than all the others.

Or maybe it was just because Sakura was so incredibly special to me.

But whatever the case was the minute I tried to locate her Chakra pattern I found it.

And there was barley anything left of it.

Before the girl could stutter out anything further or perhaps try to keep me from finding my wife, I was already out of the room, running to the area of which I could barley even detect my wife's chakra.

I knew the hospital layout well, so it was no problem for me to maneuver through all the hallways. It may have been a small part of how often I ended up in the hospital with injuries; some from missions and the others from the frequent brawls between me and Naruto before the dobe became Hokage and 'professional.'

But the truth was that I knew the hospital like the back of my thumb, because Sakura was always there. I spent all my free time since the day we began courting where she was. And that was always the hospital, always where she worked.

It was impossible to forget the way she would always smile at me while I trailed behind her as she made her rounds. The way she would laugh at me when I stood over shoulder like a hawk if a certain patient wasn't keeping his eyes to himself. That way the man knew for certain that she belonged to me and no one else. I couldn't forget the way she would gently touch my hand as if to comfort me of my own aggressiveness when a patient would flirt with her when I was right there.

The way she would kiss me on the cheek once we left the room and make a comment that I reminded her of a love sick puppy or some other degrading animal. It had angered me at first, but soon I didn't take as much notice to it. I began to spend so much time there with her, that I basically let myself into the building without a second thought. I started to know her schedule like the back of my hand and with that knowledge I could find her without using any ninja ability whatsoever.

I even had asked her to marry me in her office.

Romantic maybe not, but Sakura always understood that I wasn't the one who would make a huge deal out of something and publically embarrass myself. She accepted that part of me wholeheartedly. She had accepted my proposal without a second thought.

It was a moment I would never forget.

_Never_.

The ways the ring slipped over her left hand so easily. For her, always and only for her.

Just then I reached the door to Emergency War Three, where Sakura's almost non-existent chakra signature was emitting the faintest of glows. The red light was blaring above the doorway, signifying that no one should enter. I slammed the doors open with force, my Sharigan still activated as I took the sight that was in front of me.

Sakura's body that was ripped apart laying limp on the table.

The blood that was forming a puddle both on the white table and on the floor that surrounded the area.

The way that two hands were placed over her heart.

Then I heard the noise.

A steady, never fading beep.

I lifted my head with almost, exaggerated slowness toward the object that was creating the noise.

A heart monitor that's little devices were attached somewhere on Sakura's broken body. The way it wouldn't stop making that single unwavering noise. The line that signified that her heart wasn't beating. The line that meant that she was dead.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

The gates to my home where just a few hundred feet in front of me.

The gates that had been repaired when Sasuke had returned to the village. They had the Uchiha Clan symbol painted with fresh colors that allowed it a new sense of life. That made it appear almost as if the Uchiha Massacre had never occurred. All traces of that horrible occurrence had been erased.

For Sasuke.

For Me.

For Us.

For the new life that we had decided to live together. The entire Uchiha Clan housing village had been refurnished just for us and though I thought it was a little extreme for two souls, I knew that deep down Sasuke saw it as a new chance all together. To forget the trouble and the past he needed to move on pass. It was a new beginning altogether for him.

I didn't hesitate in my sprint toward the life I had created with Sasuke.

I raced toward the gates with such speed that my pink hair blew in disarray around my face. I didn't move my hand to try and move it away, the only thing that mattered at the time was arriving home, a place with familiarity.

I slowed only when I stood inches away from the mini-village.

It was dead silent, but that was nothing unusual since only two persons lived in the place. I walked into the Clan's village with the slightest hesitation as a small wind ruffled my hair from behind me. I glanced behind my back toward where I came from and saw nothing but a dim lit light that was weak compared to the brightness that was illuminated from the Uchiha Clan's housing.

I walked forward slowly glancing around at the empty buildings that each had the symbol representing the fan on a flag. I started walking toward the main house near the center of the village. The place that Sasuke and I had made into our home.

I let out a silent sigh, which was interrupted when out of the corner of my eye I noticed something moving alongside me. I let out a gasp and froze immediately not expecting at all that there would be someone walking beside me this whole time.

A small child stood beside me, his head was filled with little tuffs of black hair. He didn't look up at me and instead stilled beside me just as I stopped walking.

"Ah, um…hey you're not supposed to be here." I quietly stated.

Sasuke was never keen on visitors and even Naruto had to sneak in at times, only to be kicked out if Sasuke deemed it an inappropriate time for interruption. In other words, when Sasuke and I were otherwise occupied in the bedroom.

At the sound of my voice the small child lifted their head to look up at me.

I gasped again.

The small boy's face was so accustomed to what I could tell were features that could be nothing but Uchiha. He had those same onyx eyes that I had become accustomed to waking beside every morning. The same facial structures that I had noticed through some rare pictures most Uchiha's had possessed.

This child was obviously an Uchiha.

He smiled briefly at me and then ran forward onto the streets that were now busy with multiple persons. My eyes widened as I saw more people in the deserted village then I even had seen in my entire life.

Most of them all held the same general appearance. Raven hair and onyx eyes.

My eyes snapped back and forth wondering if I had fallen asleep and was dreaming of a time that I had long since forgotten. A time before the killing of all the people that resided here. I turned around in a circle trying to comprehend what was happening at that exact moment.

I froze when I came face to face with a boy that appeared to be around 13 years of age. He smiled the minute my wide green eyes met with his red and black one. I gasped slightly when I recognized his appearance from a photograph I had stumbled upon at the Hokage Mansion. Among the registration papers of all past and present Shinobi.

I remember that the boy in his genin picture had been standing next to a girl and a boy. A boy who after a moment I had realized was none other than my sensei. Kakashi-sensei.

My nose wrinkled up in confusion as I stared down at the boy. I tried going through my mind for a name, but I came up with nothing.

"Obito." I looked down with even more puzzlement as the boy spoke.

"Uchiha Obito." He said again, a grin that reminded me so much of Naruto.

"My name. Looked like you were trying to remember it." And with those final words he turned around and started to walk away, disappearing into a crowd.

I was left with my mouth agape, trying to even remotely comprehend what was going on at the moment.

"Ah, ah…nani?"

"The main house." I turned around and caught sight of a man walking in the opposite direction. A man that from the back looked so similar that I couldn't help, but call out.

"Sasuke!" When he didn't turn around I dashed after him, completely disregarding the fact I was headed in the opposite direction of where the main house was located. I was closing in on him fast despite having to maneuver around the people that were walking up and down the streets.

"Sasuke!" I called toward him again.

"Sas—"

"Izuna!" I froze when a teenage girl appeared next to the man and grabbed his arm. She giggled slightly and then laughed when the man looked down at her.

"Izuna guess what?" They continued walking as I was left alone, standing in the middle of the street, staring at the back of someone who looked so much like Sasuke that I had actually chased after them. The thing was though I hadn't seen this person in my entire life, nor in a picture. I couldn't have just made them up, could I?

I turned around and glanced once more at the back of the two people walking away before I sprinted toward the Main House desperate for something familiar. Because Sasuke would be at our home, right? I ran faster, pushing my limits a ninja and then in a matter of seconds I was there.

I ran up the steps to the mansion and through open the doors. I noticed the figure standing just inside the house right away. I panted heavily and watched as the figure moved ever so slightly.

My mouth dropped open when they stepped out of the shadows.

"Hello gimai (sister-in-law)."

Standing just a few feet in front of me, was a man that I had only met once in my entire life. Yet, he was the center of everything that had ever occurred in my life. Since my life was Sasuke and everything that ever happened with him was revolved around this one man.

"I-Itachi."

* * *

Before I could even move from my spot at the doorway, the person who I realized was Tsunade slammed her hands back on the chest of my wife. I could see with my Sharigan that an electric current was being forced into her body through her heart. The monitor reacted for a small moment and then returned to the original line.

I started to walk toward Sakura's body, but I suddenly felt the chakra of Naruto behind me.

With the most instantaneous movement I had his body slammed against the wall of the room. I was about to smash his head through the wall with every intent to kill when a 'poof' sound commenced. My hand was surrounding nothing but air.

I turned around and saw that Naruto was standing at the entryway looking at Sakura with a horrified expression. His mouth twitched slightly and he turned to look at me.

"Sasuke…come on you won't…can't help here, let's wait outsid—"

I didn't let him finish talking as I drew out my katana and charged at him. I heard a scream from somewhere in the room, but it didn't matter to me at all. Naruto blocked the attack with a kunai knife. I noticed as I got up extremely close that there were unshed tears in his eyes.

Did it matter?

He had sent my wife on a mission. A mission that had left her in this condition. I was going to bloody blow his head off for—

Beeeeeeeeeep…Beep…Beep. Beep. Beep.

I froze and turned toward the center of the room.

The monitor had started up with a normal heartbeat again.

"Yes! Ino begin healing the lower abdomen wound! I'm healing the sword wound. You two don't be completely useless and heal her shoulder."

My eyes soften for the briefest of moments as this new sense of relief washed over me.

_She's alive._

* * *

He didn't respond to me calling his name, instead he just stared blankly at me.

"Wha…Nani?"

He glanced up at me and while I was completely and utterly confused he seemed perfectly calm. I became increasingly nervous as I stood at the doorway looking in at the Uchiha. I knew full well the truth behind him now, after all I was married to Sasuke, but having him stand in front of me, I couldn't help but feel inadequate and intimidated.

I understood that he loved his brother, that he loved Konoha, but it didn't change the fact that he killed off his entire family. Slaughtered them. Sasuke still had nightmares occasionally about the event even though he had forgiven his brother long ago.

When he pulled me to his chest, shaking over the past memories I couldn't help but feel anger toward Itachi for his past crimes. Sasuke would whimper sometimes and the only thing I was ever able to do was let him hold me. I was Sasuke's lifeline. His connection to this world. Why did that make me feel so guilty being in this dream?

I never confided in Sasuke over any of these feelings because despite the nightmares he had, he loved his brother very much. He even created a tombstone and placed it in the Uchiha Cemetery with the rest of his family.

It didn't change the past though. I knew that Itachi had wished his brother would return to Konoha after completing his goal, but instead it had the opposite effect. I remember the day that Sasuke came to destroy what was left of the rebuilding city. Naruto had gone and fought him, leaving me alone. I was terrified. Because Naruto still believed at that time and I feared it would lead to his death.

Believed that Sasuke could be returned to Konoha. That he would cherish his friends and be able to be human.

I had given up. If Naruto had at that time…I would be missing a husband.

I never before told Sasuke this, I think he knew though. That I had given up on the boy I had once loved. At one point I had tried to kill Sasuke myself, but Kakashi-sensei had intercepted my team before anything could be done. Naruto knew about it though and so did a few other people.

I swore to myself the day I realized that maybe a future with Sasuke was possible that I would take that knowledge with me to the grave.

Death.

"What….What are you doing here?" I asked in hesitation. Some memory was trying to break free, but I couldn't reach past it. It was locked behind solid gates while I search hopelessly for a key to get inside. Impossible, but I try anyway.

"Dream?" The word slipped past my tongue without my consent. I was trying to understand the surroundings. I had to be dreaming, that was the only way to describe this madness. Yet, it felt so real here. No not real…but complete.

It was so much different than being awake or asleep. This place…this place made me feel whole.

It was good.

Warm, comforting, and peaceful were the words that described this place.

I noticed that Itachi stepped forward a tiny bit. I reacted with a step backwards. I was fearful of him. I hated to be that way, but I couldn't help but be intimidated by the man standing in front of me.

He stilled when he saw me avoid his advance.

"It's okay Sakura."

I flinched at his voice. Not because I was still fearful of him, but because the moment he spoke the words an overwhelming feeling washed over me. Filled my soul to the brim. I was at peace and I knew that he or anyone else in this world would not hurt me.

This world…

This wasn't the same world I had spent years of my life living. It was different in so many ways and I knew that I had never stepped foot in this place before.

"W-Where am I?"

Itachi continued to watch me, his red eyes spinning at a slow pace. I couldn't read any emotion off his face which wasn't surprising since after all he was a Uchiha and they were well known for not demonstrating their true emotions to the public. I still struggled to get Sasuke to show the love he felt for me. His eyes started to fade back to a still black and I was momentarily shocked by how much those eyes reminded me of Sasuke.

"Where is Sasuke?" I questioned.

This time Itachi approached me once again and he gently laid his arm to rest on my shoulder. I felt more of that calm feeling pass threw me, but it couldn't quench the need for my husband.

"Where is he?"

This time I saw an emotion flicker across my brother-in-law's face. It was such an instantaneous movement, lasted for the shortest second before his face once again returned to the cold emotionless façade that had become such a natural feeling for me.

So natural that I had become able to read such a short relapse. After all I mostly was able to interpret Sasuke's emotions when he let them slip by him just for a moment. The only other person who was able to read Sasuke was Naruto. Everyone else would never see the brief amount of emotion on his face. I could though. That's why I was able to see past Itachi's blank expression.

Pity.

"W-wha—"

"You and Sasuke no longer belong to the same world."

* * *

_I curled up into his body heat enjoying the sensation that it gave to me. That it gave to my heart. His eyes were closed and his breath was even and calm. I would have assumed that he was asleep except that his arms came to wrap around my naked waist and tug me closer to him._

_The muscles in his arm flexed slightly as he pulled me right against his chest. My breasts were pushed up against his muscular chest and my face was buried in his neck. He placed his head atop my pink hair, his soft breath never ceasing as I snuggled into his possessive hold. I let out a giggle and the air from my breath brushed against his collar bone. He flinched ever so slightly and realizing that I had found a ticklish spot on the ice-god, I couldn't help but purposely blow some air from my breath toward the newly discovered spot._

"_Stop that." His voice was slightly groggy with tiredness and guilt spread threw me once I realized just how exhausted he was with all the new things going on lately. _

"_Sorry." I titled my head to the side as I spoke the words as to make sure I didn't breathe against the spot once again._

"_Hn."_

_I shut my eyes quietly knowing that he wanted to sleep. Then I noticed that with the position in which my head was placed I could hear his heart beat. I listened to the strong beat that was steady and paced. The medic in me knew that his heart was almost in perfect condition. I couldn't help but unleash a smile knowing that for the hundredth time that this was really happening and that Sasuke was really right beside me._

_That the jewelry on my right ring finger really did exist and that I really was engaged to be married to Sasuke Uchiha. If not for the fact that I was lying against him right now with his arms wrapped around my body I would have thought I was delusional. _

"_Why are you smiling?"_

_I froze and lifted my head to look at the gorgeous face of my fiancé, expecting to see the onyx colored eyes that I had fallen in love with as a child. I was surprised to see that his eyes were still closed. I shifted my weight onto my elbows making sure that I was not putting all weight on him. Not that he would mind, I weighed probably half as much as he did. I barley had grown an inch since the time I was sixteen. Him and Naruto were giants in my viewpoint, but then again everyone was a giant when they stood next to me. Only Hinata was shorter than my 5'4" and only by half an inch._

"_How do you know that I am?" My smile widened when I watched the pair of beautiful black eyes flicker open and look back at me._

"_It's you Sakura." I pouted. I wasn't that predictable was I?_

"_Plus, I felt your mouth twitch against my chest." My pout vanished as I let out a short laugh. If anyone were to notice the slightest change, it would have to be Sasuke._

"_Why were you?" His eyes were still filled with sleep, but I knew him well enough to figure he would want the answer before he went back to sleep. He would also know that if I was lying so I was going to have to tell him nothing, but the truth._

"_I still can't believe it." He opened his mouth to say something, but I continued. "I guess even when I was a child…I never figured that I would really be able to win you. Be able to be the one that spent the rest of their life with you. So that the fact that right now I really am in your arms is something that I would never expect in a million years. Especially after…" Sasuke's arms tightened around me, "..well anyway I just still can't believe that you would pick me. It still doesn't feel like reality. I wonder almost every day if it was all just a dream or that maybe I died and went to heav—"_

_I had meant the last part as a friendly joke, but when I suddenly was no longer held against Sasuke's chest and instead in some instantaneous movement that even I as one of the best Kunoichi of the village was unable to comprehend, now had my back against the cushions of the bed._

_My eyes widen when I realized the change in action that I hadn't been able to detect. My hands were held above my head with a single large hand the pressure was strong to the point that it even bothered me slightly. Sasuke loomed over me and it didn't take me long to notice the red eyes that were glowering down at me in the dark. Three tomes' spun wildly around the center dot of the shairgan. I knew the eyes well enough to know that Sasuke was mad—no furious. _

_I flinched as he thrust his face towards mine so that there was barley an inch between us. I felt his breath against my lips and they trembled slightly in the realization that I had done something to make him this angry. _

"_Don't __**ever**__ say that. Do you understand?" He growled out the words from behind his teeth and I could detect not a single bit of sleepiness from his gruff voice at all._

"_S-Say what?" My voice was confused and it only spread when Sasuke slammed my restrained hands deeper into the bed, actually causing pain from what a tight grip that was being given._

"…_Sasuke…hurts." I gasped out and relief spread through me when the hand on my wrists released them and instead pulled my hand forward to look at it. His eyes stopped spinning so wild, but they still held the quick pace that showed his anger._

_He brought his lips to touch my wrist gently before he looked back down at me._

"_Don't ever talk about….dying ever again. __**Never**__. I can't hear you talk about something like that Sakura…" His sharigan started to spin faster again. "I can't lose you. You can't leave me. Not for another man. Not for anything." His voice was taking on a growling tone again and I started to shrink back in the tiniest bit of fear. _

"_I-I can't live without you. If I lost another important person…Just never talk about things like that ever again."_

_He stared down at me and I knew he was waiting for an answer._

_I raised the free hand that he was not currently holding in his palm slowly towards his face. Of course the action did not go unnoticed by the red eyes and they followed the movement they had seen. When I reached his check and gently stroked it with my thumb he did nothing to protest. In fact he actually leaned his head toward the touch and released my other hand so that he could grasp onto the fingers caressing his face. His eyes closed for a moment and when they reopened I was happy to see instead of the eyes that despite me finding beautiful and enticing was still fearful of, the onyx color which I had grown up loving. _

_I must have actually smiled because he brought his other hand to touch my lips for a brief moment before he returned it next to my head._

"_Sasuke…" His eyes met mine as I spoke with a gentle purr, a noise that I always used when I wanted him to know that everything was fine._

"_I won't ever leave you. I won't die, I promise. After all I have you to come home to and I love you too much." I smiled up at him and if I was in my right mind I could have sworn I saw a tint of pink on his cheeks._

"_Hn." His lips smashed against mine in the same second and I let out a small moan from between my mouth. He kissed me harder in response and I couldn't help, but giggle at his always possessive and aggressive attitude. _

_When he finally broke away from me, a smirk was plastered across his face and it made a shiver run down my spine. I noticed that any sign of the past sleepiness he once had was still completely gone from his face. _

"_You know Sakura…" I let out a gasp when he stroked my thigh with his hand. "I think I can stay awake for a few more hours…"_

"_Hours?" I gasped out._

_Another smirk appeared that sent my heart racing. He pushed me down on the bed, but this time in a gentle, playful way._

"_Yes…hours."_

* * *

"Do you see the condition that she is in?" He growled out me. He pointed a finger in the direction of his broken wife as emphasis even though I could clearly see without his help what the mission that I had assigned Sakura had done to her.

I didn't follow the line of vision that his finger was directed at. I figured that if I saw Sakura one more time in the state she was in I would have a break down. After all this was the girl I had spent so many years of my life in love with. This was my best friend's wife. This was the girl who was most important to me besides Hinata. And every time I looked at her I was hit again and again with the reminder that I had assigned her to the mission that had resulted in her condition.

Tsunade-baba, Ino and the two nurses were taking care all they could of the her, but I could tell even from here that it was possible that she might not make it. Tsunade's face had it written all over it. I knew for a fact that she hated to even seem a little bit weak, but just watching as she wiped a bit of sweat of her forehead, I could tell that fear was in her.

"Naruto, God damn it—"

"She knew." My voice came out quiet as a whisper.

"Knew what?"

"When I-I gave her the mission. She saw that her chances of coming….she knew that she could end up like this."

When I felt his fist grip the front of my shirt, I didn't try and get rid of them or fight. I deserved every ounce of his hate that was directed at me. After all I might as well have been the one to have given her every injury.

"If she knew—" His hand threw me against the wall of the emergency room. "Then you fucking as hell knew! You sent her on a mission that you knew she would end up like this!" My head snapped against the wall of the room with a thundering crack. I almost figured that the sheer force would split my head open.

I didn't say anything back to him, since everything he was saying to me was nothing but truth. When he was shouting words at me back in my office I couldn't even look at him in the eyes. I felt like I had betrayed my own brother, taken away everything from him. Since after all Sakura was his everything. He had nothing else left and I had sent her away on a mission that I knew she wouldn't come back from.

He was shouting things at me, but my head was dizzy and I felt sick. I didn't want to hear more words coming from him. Words that were probably all true.

In the back of my mind I only dimly wondered if Sasuke would be able to kill me. I was his second most important person…but Sasuke was known for hating those closest to him. Especially when they were responsible for killing the people around him.

I felt like Itachi Uchiha.

I had killed everything that was important for Sasuke. I had done it for the good of the village. For the village that I loved with everything I had. I had even killed someone that was close to me too. I was just like him…

I felt so guilty…

These were my two best friends.

I had sent one to her death.

And if that one died, it would kill my other friend.

My head turned slightly to look at Sakura's bloody body. The fact that she had made it to the hospital room itself was a miracle…

How many miracles could one person have?

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

…_Not enough…_

* * *

"W-Wha do you m-mean?"

He didn't say anything to me, just kept watching me with those tantalizing red eyes. I knew that he wanted me to find my own answer.

My voice caught in my throat and I suddenly felt like I was suffocating. Nothing could be comprehended in my head. The words that he had just spoken could not be digested and instead just floated around in space, taunting me with their meaning.

_You and Sasuke no longer belong in the same world._

_No longer belong_

_You and Sasuke_

_Don't belong_

My eyes started to fill with tears. The words that were spinning around my head, causing some locked memory to surface from within me. I wanted to shove the thoughts back down into a bottomless pit of darkness, because I knew these memories…they were going to hurt me. Create a wound that I wouldn't recover from.

And then I knew.

_Some things are never meant to last._

The feeling of pain flashed through my body. It felt like there were multiple wounds flashing through me. A sword piercing my chest. Through my heart.

The tears spilled past the rim of my eyes, slipping gently down my face as the memory of today came rushing past my mind.

The mission (_to kill a man threatening the village)_

The pain_ (that consumed every fiber of my body)_

The fear _(of what was going to become of me)_

The knowledge (_that I was going to die)_

I lifted my hands up to hold my head, my fingers tightening in my pink hair in such a hard grip that it should have cause me pain and ripped my hair out of my scalp. But it didn't. I could feel the touch of my fingers on my skull, but other than that there was nothing. No pain at all.

Nothing.

A sob ripped through my body.

"I'm dead." And those words were the final nail on my coffin.

_Because everything can be taken away from you in a matter of seconds._

_Everything._

* * *

It was that sound that caused me to release my hold on Naruto. I turned to look back at the body on the table. Tsunade was screaming orders again toward the other nurses and the three all jumped away from the limp body as her fists made contact with Sakura's chest. A violent spasm occurred as Sakura's body lurched in the air, before returning to the limp form on the table like before.

"AGAIN!" The sound was in the background to me as the steady noise continued like before, but with a simple pause until it returned to the straight dead line.

Everything occurred like that for the next six minutes. It was at one particularly large intrusion of electric current into Sakura's body that her hand slipped from her side and fell till it hanged off the edge of the table. Her fingers didn't move or twitch, the hand just dangled limply. Despite the hand being crusted over with dried blood, Sasuke could see the two rings on her finger.

The steady beep continued and all movement in the room ceased.

Naruto had never left the room after I released him from my hold and he stood looking at the body with tears running down his face.

And that was all that was left.

A body.

No longer the girl I had somehow managed to fall in love with. With a girl that never let her own love fade. It was just a hallow body. An empty, lifeless body.

I lifted my head when I heard a sob coming from the blonde haired woman, holding her hands over Sakura's heart. She whispered frantically an apology over and over for her apprentice.

When she removed her hands from Sakura it was then I knew that she was dead.

"T-Time of d-death, ei—"

I moved with such speed that not either of the top ninja in the room could see me. That was sure by the shocked faces, which I could see out of the corner of my eyes. I stood over my wife's body as I growled out the words from behind my clenched teeth.

"You promised."

* * *

Nothing could change the grief that filled my chest at the reoccurring knowledge of my own death. It didn't matter that this world was so much more peaceful than being alive. It didn't matter that it gave the strangest sense of comfort that I had experienced in my entire life. Nothing mattered except the fact that by being in this world…it meant that my Husband and I would be separated for life.

I stood in front of the door with the tears running down my face. I was paralyzed with knowledge and it was killing me inside.

Well that was impossible since after all I was already dead.

"Sakura." A sweet voice spoke and despite my sobs it could be heard clearly in my ears.

My eyes widened in shock at the voice that called my name. It sounded so much like Sasuke that I was possessed to think that he was actually there right next to me. But when I lifted my head up, I was just once again met with Itachi's platonic expression.

Sasuke and Itachi…they looked so much alike, sounded so much alike; Kami they even called my name the same. It was unbelievable the qualities that the two shared. They were truly brothers.

"Uchiha Sakura."

When he spoke the second time, Itachi's voice had taken on a more professional tone, like somebody that was about to give an important speech. And when I met his crimson eyes, I realized that he was. I quickly wiped the tears away from my eyes and quieted my loud sobs so they turned into sniffles. If I wasn't so devastated by the occurrence of events, I probably would have been blushing at having broken down into tears in front of this Uchiha or anyone for that matter. Yet I knew that my face was a more ghostly pale and probably lacked any of the normal pink that always seemed to adore my cheeks.

I met Itachi's eyes once again.

"Haruno Sakura, you are a member of the Uchiha Clan. With your marriage to my brother, Uchiha Sasuke, you have become Uchiha Sakura and are entitled as being a true Uchiha. That being said when you passed on into death, you are also entitled to spend the afterlife in the Uchiha Death Gate. Uchiha Sakura, this place is your home now."

And it sounded so wrong to me, because a home without Sasuke being their everyday…was not a home at all.

"_You promised."_

My eyes widened and despite having been looking straight at Itachi his mouth had not moved at all. Yet I could have sworn I had heard someone speak.

"D-Did you hear that?"

The expression on Itachi's face actually changed to one of confusion. If talking more than was needed to was not one of the Uchiha's traits I could have sworn that he would have asked what I was talking about or if I was crazy.

I turned my head around to look out the still open door, but nobody was on the street, let alone the porch.

"_Damn it Sakura! You fucking promised me!"_

My eyes widened for the possible tenth time since I had arrived at this place, but this by far was more shocking the anything else.

Sasuke…

That was Sasuke speaking…

I whipped my head around again, desperately trying to locate where the voice was coming from. It seemed like Sasuke was right in front of me from the direction his voice was heard. Itachi was still looking at me with a confused face. I realized that I was the only one who could hear him.

Did that mean I was crazy?

"_SAKURA!"_

My body froze when I heard the scream. It was so anguished and in pain that I was almost unable to believe that it was Sasuke who was had just screamed my name. My palm started to shake and fear spread into me.

If there was one thing I hated the most in the world, it was when Sasuke was in pain. It was worse than anything I had ever experienced in my entire life. I would take the experience of dying a million times over again, rather than hear Sasuke call my name in such a broken voice.

When I felt a wet substance drop onto my cheek, my hand instinctively went up to touch it. My fingers touched nothing, but my smooth skin. When another fell onto my noise and then another hit my cheek again, I was unable to process anything that was going on.

"_YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD LIVE!" _

* * *

Her eyes weren't open and dazzling me with those green orbs. Her chest wasn't moving up and down with her steady heartbeat. Her mouth wasn't curved into that beautiful smile that she only showed for me. Her face didn't have that pink on her cheeks that would turn a bright tomato red when I was in her presence; it was a pale color marred with blotches of blood.

My lips quivered as I looked down at the broken body of the only woman I would be able to love.

Tsunade had stopped saying the time of death and instead was looking at me with eyes filled with tears. I heard the sobbing coming from Ino as she held her heads in her palm as she mourned the death of her best friend. Naruto was completely silent behind me.

Nobody would ever understand what it was like to lose her.

To lose Sakura.

Anger pulsed through my veins at I looked down at her. Because she had left me. Because she had taken away the only thing that mattered in the world.

"Damn it Sakura! You fucking promised me!"

My red eyes with the three tomes flickered to the six pointed star of the Mangekyō Sharingan. Because I was faced with an enemy, and the threat was so powerful that I needed my ultimate weapon to use it. The same weapon that had caused me to go into a state of almost total blindness and had it not been for a pink haired minx, I would have never seen the light again.

And as I stared with my powerful eyes down at the threat, I realized how completely useless it truly was. Because not even the most powerful Dōjutsu Kekkei Genkai could destroy death.

The machine connected to Sakura's heart had still not been turned off and in respect the same noise that had haunted me for the last eight minutes was still on. I hated it.

I hated everything.

"SAKURA!"

My hand reached out to the machine beside me and destroyed it with all my fury. The noise suddenly cut off and then there was silence. Despite my actions though my voice was broken. In pain. It felt as though my chest was being crushed by an unforeseen weight. I hadn't felt such pain since the time I found out that everything I thought I knew about my brother was a lie. This was worse though, so much worse.

It was only when I saw the droplet of blood fall down and land on Sakura's cheek did I realize that I was crying. Because the sharigan was activated they were tears of blood, but all the same they spilled over the rim of my eyes and landed on her cold face.

And I didn't care.

I didn't care that there were people in the room watching me.

It didn't matter that Uchiha and respectable ninja weren't supposed to show emotion.

The only thing that mattered was Sakura and that she was dead.

"YOU PROMISED YOU WOULD LIVE!"

* * *

I lifted my head up to Itachi when I saw him reach out his hand toward me. His fingers stretched toward me in a sign to take his hand, to welcome me.

Sasuke's voice was still ringing in my head.

My eyes focused on his hand in shock. But I didn't move. Because I knew that Sasuke was in pain because of me. Because I died.

It was too much for me to handle. Too much for me to think of.

And now Itachi was reaching his hand toward me so that I could spend the rest of my life in death.

My hand seemed drawn to it and my fingers twitched slightly. There was some kind of need to take his hand and be away from pain forever. To be in a world that would give me peace, where I would never be afraid again.

And I couldn't do it.

Even if this place was better than the other world. Even if there was no pain. It didn't matter. I didn't want it. Not without Sasuke here.

"No." I said with an air of firmness surrounding me.

I watched him look into my eyes for a moment, before a smirk spread to his face. He lowered his hand down back to his side.

"Then don't." His smirk spread as he said this and I realized that he had heard Sasuke's voice, that he knew what was going on. That he knew I couldn't stay here. He probably had known the entire time.

"You better hurry, you don't want the gates to close on you forever now do you?"

I stayed quiet for a moment before I turned in a flash prepared to run and leave this world behind. I stopped though when Itachi spoke one last time.

"Tell my Orokanaru otouto yo (foolish little brother), that he finally did the right thing…I'm proud of him."

I stared back into the warm gaze of Itachi and any leftover resent toward him vanished. I couldn't help but let the brightest smile grace my lips, one that I normally reserved only for the people I cared most about.

"Arigato Aniki (thank you, older brother)." And with those words I turned and ran past the streets. They were still crowed with people, but for a reason unknown or perhaps just for me, they parted like the Red Sea as I passed them sprinting for the gates to leave this place.

And then I saw them.

They were almost closed off, but it was more than easy to slip past them and run toward the darkness. Toward an unknown world. But not completely because I knew that Sasuke was on the other side. And that was all I needed.

When I heard the clang on the gates completely closed in the faint distance I could have sworn I heard the Uchiha members whispering something to me.

"_Sayonara shimai (goodbye sister)."_

* * *

When I felt the hands grab me and pull me away as I started screaming and thrashing, I felt like the world had crashed around me.

People were shouting things at each other and I could tell that it was the Anbu that were trying to take me out of the room, but I refused to leave. I couldn't leave her.

Naruto was saying things to me, as he tried to push me back from the room. He was still crying and yet I knew he thought it was best to take me away from her. And I hated him for it.

I pulled away from the Anbu's grasp and prepared to attack them if it meant not having to leave the room. I couldn't leave it and if those fucking bastards didn't realize it soon, I would slaughter them all. Every single one of them.

"Get the hell away from me!"

The room was filled with ciaos. So much noise, so many people. The Anbu were taking out their weapons while Naruto commanded them to back off. And my eyes were taken off Sakura. So I didn't notice how her ring finger twitched from its position of hanging off the table.

And it was a miracle that the tiny voice that croaked out a name could be heard through the thundering clatter and screaming people. But it did and then everyone froze. It was such stillness that it felt like nobody was breathing. And maybe they weren't.

"Sa-suke…kun."

It seemed like the world was in slow motion as I turned my body so that I once again faced the bed in the center of the room. And I saw those wonderful, beautiful, emerald eyes looking back at me.

"I promised…you, right?"

* * *

"_Aishiteru yo, Sasuke-kun."_

"_Watashi wa anata wo nani yori mo aishite iru…"_

* * *

A/N: And its finished! (and it took me forever…forever…*sobs* God it was so fucking long!) I will hurry up and finish the chapter of My Best Friend's Imouto. I loved writing the flashback…it was my favorite part. Even though Sasuke was sooooo OOC in it, but really it still was cute.

The two lines at the end are spoken first by Sakura and then by Sasuke.

"I love you, Sasuke-kun."

"I love you more than anything…"

KAWAII!

~Halfkyuubikat~


End file.
